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Adult Protective Services Unit
This unit provides training and consultation about
the Minnesota Vulnerable Adults Act. Identifying
maltreatment in vulnerable adults can be
challenging because the adult may not be able to
communicate what happened or may be considered an
unreliable witness. For example, an elderly man
with dementia has a bruise on his arm. Is the
bruise the result of caregiver abuse or did he
accidentally bump into the wall?
There are three basic kinds of maltreatment:
Eighty-seven counties have their own adult
protection units which are responsible for
investigating county complaints and providing
protective services. State agencies investigate
complaints in regulated industries, such as
nursing facilities or group homes. Law enforcement
units coordinate with state and local vulnerable
adult units to investigate maltreatment reports
made and investigated.
In addition, Adult Protective Services keeps an
aggregate statewide database on maltreatment
reports made and investigated.
The Adult Protective Services unit is a consultant
for Minnesota's Vulnerable Adult Act [Minnesota
Statute Section 626.557 (1995)]. In addition
to educating the public about maltreatment of
vulnerable adults, Adult Protective Services
consults with local agencies, including counties
and law enforcement agencies.
Guideline to the Investigation of Vulnerable Adult
Maltreatment
This
Adult Protection Manual (table
of contents) (appendices)
provides policy and procedures for county staff
that perform the Common Entry Point function (CEP
Form) and conduct investigations as required
in
MS626.557 Vulnerable Adult Act and
MN Rule 9555.7100-9555.7700.
Adult
Protection Executive Summary 2-page fact sheet
Adult
Protection fact sheet
The Minnesota
Vulnerable Adult Act outlines the role of
Adult Protective Services as providing:
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Training
Public agencies with responsibilities under the
statute are required to receive training on
their responsibilities specifically in the areas
of investigation of vulnerable adult
maltreatment and operation of a Common Entry
Point (CEP). A CEP is the county unit
responsible for receiving oral reports of
suspected maltreatment twenty-four hours per
day, seven days per week. It is designated by
each county board. The
county directory is a list of all CEP
phone numbers for the State of Minnesota. It is
updated regularly.
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Consultation
Provide general and case-specific assistance to
citizens, providers, local and state agencies on
the Vulnerable Adult Act and issues arising
under it.
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Data Collection:
Prior to 2008, a copy of the suspected
maltreatment report (DHS
3243) was sent to the Department of Human
Services – Adult Protection Unit for data
collection purposes. In anticipation of the need
for a centralized automated data collection
system for CEP data, Minnesota Statute, section
626.557 subdivision 13 (g) authorized that the
CEP would log reports into a database once this
database became available. Effective April 1,
2008, the centralized database became available
to all 87 counties.
DHS Bulletin #08-25-02 outlines county
duties. An updated
Tip Sheet will assist counties with
frequently asked questions associated with the
new data collection system.
Help Protect People who are Frail or Vulnerable
(pdf)
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